I think what you read is wrong. The 300 WSM and 300 WM have sharper neck angles and fatter cases with nearly straight sides and that should promote powder burning. Your case has a long, tapered body and a gradual neck angle and probably needs that longer barrel. I know that in the 30-06, good velocity can be attained with some faster burning powders and using them, you lose only about 25 fps for each inch of barrel length removed. The .270 requires slower powders for good velocity and you lose more like 50 fps per barrel inch lost. The man is right - if you can find a faster powder that gives good velocities, you can minimize the velocity loss. I would keep the 26 inch barrel,though.